


Roots

by Transformersfan123



Category: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Genre: Cutting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 09:16:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13361463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transformersfan123/pseuds/Transformersfan123
Summary: Jack gasped as tingles raced up and down his body. Weakness engulfed him as the wave disappeared. The children gasped as the black sparkles slipped away to reveal an extremely dazed male human. There was another rumble and the ground opened up behind Jack, who began slipping backwards. Oogie gasped, lunging forward. "Jack!"





	1. Forgiveness

"Where are they, Oogie?" Jack demanded hotly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the bogeyman reiterated for the seventh time.

"Why should I believe you?"

"You shouldn't, apparently. Why would you listen to me?" the burlap creature asked bitterly.

"When have you given me reason to listen to you?!" Jack roared.

There was a rumble and Lock, Shock, and Barrel backed up from them, paling even more than they were, as something rushed over them. Jack gasped as tingles raced up and down his body. Weakness engulfed him as the wave disappeared. The children gasped as the black sparkles slipped away to reveal an extremely dazed male human. There was another rumble and the ground opened up behind Jack, who began slipping backwards. Oogie gasped, lunging forward.

"Jack!"

The ground fell away completely just as Oogie snatched Jack's hand. They began falling together, tumbling head over heels. There was no light, despite the fact that it was midday in Halloween Town and sunshine should be pouring from the opening they'd fallen through. Oogie thought fast. Jack was human. He could bleed and hurt and maybe even _die_ like a human. So he did the one thing he thought might save him. He put Jack on top of him. But not because he was saving him, Oogie reasoned. He just didn't want bloodstains in his burlap.

The impact startled Oogie and he was compressed hard. He gasped for air, hearing an echoing gasp from Jack. The bogeyman caught his breath easily, but Jack was wheezing. He'd had the wind knocked out of him. Oogie waited until Jack was breathing normally again before he spoke.

"You okay, Jack?"

"Ma-thà thamaidh," Jack muttered.

"…I forgot about that little problem."

_"What problem?"_

"You can only speak Gaelic in human form."

_"Oh…yeah. I forgot about that."_

"So are you okay? Be serious."

_"What do you care?"_

"I…I don't. But we've got to figure a way out of here, wherever it is, and get back to Halloween Town." There was a pause. "So are you okay?"

_"I-I don't know. Let me just…"_

Jack shakily rolled off of Oogie, and Oogie could hear him grunt as he stood.

"Caoch!"

"What happened?"

_"I-I almost fell. I didn't mean to curse."_

Oogie Boogie laughed heartily. "I don't care about a few curses. You're fine. Now, you're standing?"

_"Yes."_

"Good. Now help me up."

Jack followed his voice until he found the upraised point. He heaved his frie...Oogie to his feet

"There. That's better. Now, feel around. See if this place is enclosed."

Jack took small steps until his outstretched hands hit a wall. He could sense Oogie beside him.

_"You go right, I go left?"_

"Sounds like a plan."

They slid along the wall all the way around the chamber, finding the entrance to some kind of tunnel at the same moment.

"Good. Let's go," Oogie said, hesitantly tapping Jack's back.

They walked slowly, taking small steps so as to not fall if they ran into anything. After taking a right turn then a left, they saw daylight and sped up appropriately. Neither one of them was particularly afraid of the dark, but they both enjoyed seeing where they were going. Bursting into the warm sun was a pleasure that neither one of them had ever really fully considered before that moment.

 _"Ahh, the sun feels nice,"_ Jack nearly purred. _"Now, where are we?"_

Looking around, they found themselves in a grassy meadow. A cool stream teeming with fish of all sizes ran down to a lake sparkling in the sunshine, while a forest wrapped around a large, clear area. Deer were feeding about half a mile away down in a valley, but Jack's sharp eyes knew what they were immediately. He could also see signs of rabbits and snakes. His stomach snarled at him, demanding food.

"Hungry?" Oogie asked.

_"Oh yes. The change always leaves me famished. I believe fish sounds delicious. A nice big trout roasted on a spit over a fire...Mm. I'm going fishing."_

Oogie sat down on a rock and watched Jack sharpen a stick with a pointed rock before he waded into the stream and stilled. He was in his element. Oogie couldn't hide his smile, though Jack was so busy fishing that he didn't see it. Jack truly was wild at heart. Raised in the rolling hills of Scotland, he could hunt and fish to perfection, which was proved as he speared a large fish with ease then carried it over to a rock beside the bogeyman to begin cleaning it. He was done with that in seven minutes then walked to the forest to gather dry kindling. Soon a fire was roaring with the fish cooking above it. Jack came back with herbs, sprinkling them over the dead creature.

"What's that?"

_"Rosemary. Also some salt. I found a deposit."_

"You always said that salt makes meat taste better."

Jack smiled. _"It does. You can have some if you want."_

"I…No thanks, Jack. You actually need food. I can survive without it. Thank you though."

Jack's smile faltered. _"Really, Oogie. I can catch another one for you. It's no trouble."_

"If-if you insist."

Soon there was another fish roasting over the fire. Jack pulled them off when they were done, offering one to Oogie.

_"Cheers."_

"Cheers."

Oogie slid the fish off the stick and ate it in one bite.

"Mm, it tastes good."

Jack grunted as he tore into the meat eagerly. Oogie fought back another smile. Besides himself, the doctor was the only one currently in Halloween Town who had seen Jack as a human…Well, Lock Shock, and Barrel had before they fell, but they didn't _know_ Jack as a human. He was quite different than his usual polite Pumpkin King self. Oogie looked over his frie…Jack.

He had shoulder length black hair, eyes so slime green that they were creepy, and a dusting of freckles across his pale skin. His clothing had also changed in that wave. He wore a pair of dark trousers with a green plaid kilt around his hips, plus a long-sleeved white shirt with buttons down the front. No shoes adorned his feet. Oogie looked up from the bare feet to see Jack watching him.

 _"Why are you staring at me?"_ There was sharp discomfort in that voice.

"Just reminding myself what you look like as a human. I didn't mean anything by it."

Jack relaxed and discarded his stick. _"I should apologize to you, Oogie."_

"You should?"

_"Yeah. I don't like yelling at you, but sometimes I feel as if I have no choice. You and those kids disobey me all the time."_

Oogie hummed then looked up almost shyly. "I don't feel as if I have to listen to you. I mean, I was made only a month after you came to Halloween Town. I feel like I should lead, too."

Jack was surprised. _"Really? That's why you misbehave?"_

"A little bit of the reason, I guess," Oogie admitted.

 _"Oh, Oogie, if you want some responsibility, all you had to do was ask. I would gladly give it to you. You're one of my best friends. Or…you were. But,"_ Jack added quickly when Oogie flinched. _"I'm willing to give you another chance. Please, Crawly, be my friend again."_

The burlap man considered the offer in silence, angling back away from the fire as something popped and sent embers out. Jack stared at him, his hope fading around the edges as the silence stretched on. The bogeyman finally shifted.

"Alright, Jack. I'll try to behave and be your friend again."

 _"I never stopped caring about you, you know,"_ Jack said happily.

"I…I guess I never did either. But don't you go telling anybody that! Especially those kids. It would ruin my reputation."

Jack laughed. _"Wouldn't want to do that, now would we?"_

He sighed then noticed how Oogie was scooting away from the fire. There were two things Oogie was afraid of: fire and water. Nothing else could faze the bogeyman, but those two things scared him to death, literally if he got too close to them. Sure, he could be sewn back together, but that wasn't the point. Jack smiled.

_"How about we take a nice long walk?"_

"Walk? That sounds perfect," Oogie said, standing up and giving the fire a wide berth as he slipped around it.

 _"Good,"_ Jack said as he stood. _"Let's go…this way."_

They began to walk after Jack made sure the fire wasn't going anywhere. It was a beautiful day, very peaceful and still, save a light breeze that blew in from the north, bringing gentle relief from the heat of the sun. Oogie observed his friend as he walked. He looked so at home here.

"Does it remind you of Scotland?"

Jack looked at him in surprise. _"Um, yes. Long stretches of green, sparkling waters, plenty of animals. It's nice. I'll have to make a bow and some arrows so I can hunt deer. Maybe I can beat my old record for skinning and gutting. Then I can make some nice leather for you in case it rains."_

There was a swift movement to the left, and Jack, reacting on instinct and experience, turned to tackle the thing that had surprised him. To his surprise, it was…

_"Squanto?"_

"Jack? Is that you?"

Jack nodded. _"Yes. What are you doing here?"_

Squanto blinked at him. "What?"

 _"I said, what are you…damn. He can't understand me. Figures,"_ Jack grumbled, standing up and helping the Indian to his feet.

"Very few people speak that language anymore, Jack, and it's not the same kind that you speak. Yours is older," Oogie said.

"You understand him?" Squanto asked suspiciously.

"Yep. Gaelic was the first language I learned," Oogie said, who was just as suspicious. "I think I speak it better than English sometimes."

"I see. Let us go to the others. We were wondering when he would get here."

Jack was irritated. _"Oogie, please tell him that I can understand him and there's no reason to talk like I'm not here."_

Oogie repeated the message as they began walking.

"Oh. Well, if he understands English, why can he not speak it?"

"We're not sure. Our best theory is that he never spoke it when he was alive like the rest of you did, so he's stuck on Gaelic mode."

"I see."

"Squanto! Who've you got there?" asked Eros as he stood.

"It's Jack," Squanto said. "And that…well, you see him."

Oogie snorted at the attempt not to insult him to his face. These freaks had no guts.

Jack studied the two. Something had been off about Squanto, and the same thing was wrong with Eros. They both looked…different.

"Jack, my boy!" Sandy exclaimed, and Jack turned to greet him and froze. Instead of being short and fat, he was tall and thin. His beard was short and he had hair on the top of his head, dark brown hair to be precise.

 _"Sandy? You look…different,"_ Jack said, following his train of thought from earlier.

Sandy, Eros, and the rest of them besides Squanto froze at the tongue.

"What's wrong with him?" Sandy asked, looking at Squanto.

"The burlap man says he can't speak English. Only…What language was it?"

"Gaelic."

"Me own home has Gaelic," Patrick said with a nod. "But tain't the same as what he's speakin'. Tha's a Scottish brogue if I eva heard one. I never thought ta larn tha' tongue."

_"Never thought is an accurate statement."_

Oogie laughed at the unexpected insult. They stared at him.

"What did he say?" Bunny asked; he was small and adorable instead of human sized.

"Oh…something," Oogie said with a grin.

 _"If I ask you not to translate, will you do it to spite me?"_ Jack asked with a snicker.

"Tempting thought, Creepy, but I'm not inclined to let them know what you're saying at the moment. Let the flounder and guess. It's more amusing that way."

_"You know what you are?"_

"A dickheed?"

_"Yes."_

Oogie laughed again. "I'd say I prefer you as a human, Jack. You've got bite."

_"And you're all bark."_

"Would you please tell us what he's saying?" Sandy asked, crossing his arms.

"No," Oogie said plainly.

"Well, there are deer about half a mile that way," Squanto said. "Get your hunting gear. Jack, you stay here."

"Why not just eat rabbit?" Oogie asked, grinning at Bunny.

"Oh! I never!" he spat, turning his fluffy tail up and hopping away at the heels of the others.

_"Looks like they're after food."_

"Yeah. They look skinny. They must have been here for a while."

_"This answers the question of where they were. I guess it really wasn't you."_

Oogie frowned. "I told you it wasn't, Jack." He sounded hurt.

Jack smiled. _"I know. Now, help me make a bow and some arrows. I doubt that they could catch much of anything in a group that large with most of them being untrained in the art of hunting."_


	2. Old Longings

Jack inhaled quietly, eyes trained on the deer. The bowstring was taut in his hand, the arrow pointed at the heart. Oogie was silently standing behind him. Jack let out his breath slowly then fired. The deer went down and the rest of the herd bolted. Jack handed Oogie the four unneeded arrows and slipped the bow on properly. He approached his target happily, looking at the fallen creature. Those antlers could be made into beautiful knives, while the skin would make perfect leather. And then there was the meat, drenched in blood and…

"Jack?"

_"Hm? Sorry. Let's get this thing back to camp."_

Their combined strength was more than enough to carry the animal back to camp. Jack knelt down almost reverently, staring at the blood that leaked from the place the arrow had pierced. He felt old longings stir in his breast…No! He couldn't! He wasn't like that anymore!

"Jack…"

_"It's nothing, Crawly. Now, break the antlers off at the base, as close to the skull as possible. Yes! Just like that. Now, I know Squanto has a knife here somewhere…Aha! Here it is!"_

"No! You are not allowed to have a knife!"

 _"I'm gutting a deer,"_ Jack said dryly. _"Would you prefer to have me do it with my teeth?"_

"Well…"

_"Relax. I won't do it, Oogie. I promise. Those days are behind me."_

Oogie frowned and looked thoughtful, studying him intently. "Fine. But I'm checking afterwards."

 _"Yes, Mother,"_ Jack said with a smile. Oogie snickered.

Jack took a deep breath and raised the knife. His green eyes didn't leave the dead animal.

"Ready?" Oogie asked. Jack nodded, eyes gleaming. "Go!"

Jack was three minutes slower than his record, but he chalked that up to not having done it in a while. There was a bunch of salt and, after he had put some meat on to cook, he took it and began rubbing it into the remaining meat. He was halfway through the pile when there was a cry.

"What in the _hell_?!"

Jack looked up at Squanto and the others, who were staring at him in shock. _"What?"_

"You…But there was…How did you…I don't… _What?!"_

"If you ever get a full question out of your mouth," Oogie told the Indian. "Then we might be able to give you an answer."

"Is Jack a hunter?" Squanto finally managed.

"Among other things, yes."

"When did he catch this?"

"About two hours ago. It's still fresh."

"Yes, and it smells delicious," Sam sighed. "We haven't eaten much for a week. We caught a couple of…you know, rabbits, but then Bunny joined us, and we promised him that it would be a last resort."

"Squanto's been teachin' us how ta hunt," Patrick said. "But we ain't no good at it. We keep scarin' the animals."

 _"It takes practice,"_ Jack said, idly twirling Squanto's knife. Oogie barked, a strange noise that made the others jump.

"Put it back. Now."

_"Oogie, please."_

"Don't you 'please' me. Give the Injun his knife back. Now."

Jack made a face, but held out the knife handle first. Squanto looked confused as he took it.

"Why isn't he allowed to have a knife?"

"None of your damn business," Oogie said gruffly as he pulled the sleeves of Jack's shirt up to his elbows.

 _"See?"_ Jack said with a snort. _"Absolutely no reason for you to panic."_

"Maybe," Oogie replied, then backed away from the fire again, staring at them with those creepy eyeholes.

"Is the food done?" Sandy asked eagerly.

_"Depends on how well you like it cooked."_

"What?"

"Do you like it pink or brown?" Oogie asked from the growing shadows.

"Oh...A little bit of pink."

_"Fine. They're done."_

Jack handed them the wooden plates he'd found then set the steaks on them. The rest of them looked hesitant about eating it because they had no silverware, but Jack had no such reservations, tearing into the meat without any hesitation whatsoever. They watched him for a moment, rather disgusted, but shrugged and tried to eat neatly. They all cleaned their plates.

"Well that was an unexpected pleasure," Squanto said with a happy sigh.

"Geez, how do you survive on so little?" Bunny asked, nibbling on a blade of grass.

"Well, Indians are a hearty people, living with the land instead of just in it…"

Jack washed his hands and face using a small bit of water from the pitcher that was there. He was rather bored. He wanted to run and climb and cut and…No! Not that last one. He couldn't hurt anybody. Not even himself. He'd promised…

"Cold?" Oogie asked from behind him as he shivered.

 _"A little,"_ Jack lied.

"Come here."

Jack found himself cushioned by his friend. His warm, cozy friend. The sounds of the insects moving around inside of him were nice, not fear inducing. He was so very tired…

"Is he sleeping?" Sandy asked twenty minutes later.

"Yes," Oogie said evenly.

"Oh. Well, I suppose that is a good idea," Eros said. "It's best to rise with the sun."

They all arranged themselves on the ground, falling asleep quickly. Only once they were asleep did the bogeyman relax into slumber himself. Jack woke up several hours later to a dim fire and a severe need to relieve himself. He stood and hurried away. When he came back, his eyes fell on the sheath beside Squanto's bed. His hand twitched, but the Indian stirred slightly in his sleep, driving Jack back to Oogie's soft form. Oogie shifted when he lay back down.

"Where'd you go?"

_"I needed to…you know."_

"Oh. Okay. G'night Creepy."

_"Goodnight, Crawly."_

Jack lay there feeling guilty as he listened to his friend's breathing deepen as sleep descended upon him. He should tell Oogie that the thoughts were coming back, the urges were surfacing again. But that would be admitting he was weak. He was _not_ weak. Right?


	3. Broken Promise

Jack knew that he shouldn't have taken it. But Squanto was adamant that he should have his own. And now it was stained with blood. His blood. From the crook of his elbow. He felt awful. He'd broken his promise to Oogie. He was ashamed of himself. Tears slipped down his cheeks from the raw emotion, but not from the physical pain. That particular pain felt wonderful. So he brought the gleaming blade down on his arm again, taking delight at the sharp twinge that spasmed up his arm. A soft grunt of pleasure came from his throat, and he did it again. And again. And again. Until he had ten neat cuts oozing rivulets of red down his pale flesh.

 _"Ooh, yes,"_ Jack purred, flicking his thumb in the red substance then licking it. _"Feels so nice, so good…"_

He rinsed his arm off, making sure the bleeding had stopped completely before he pulled on his shirt. The knife was there on the ground, sunlight glinting off the smooth metal, with drying blood on the edge. The leader of Halloween Town gingerly cleaned the blood off the blade, taking great care not to get any on his shirt—red on white was very noticeable, and Oogie could spot blood better than Dr. Finkelstein could—while he contemplated his problem.

When it had started, Jack wasn't sure. He remembered his bloodlust from the time he was a child. He caused pain in others for the fun of it, and killed for the rush of pleasure it gave him. Now, he'd never actually killed a human, but animals were fair game. They fell beneath his hands with a snapped neck or his blade with a slit throat if they were small enough, and with bow and arrow if they were too big. Blood fascinated him, and every time he was cut, he had to taste the life source. The coppery tang was something he lived for. It made him shiver just thinking about it.

He pulled the blade out of the water then stared at it as shame caught up with him again. More tears fell and he violently sheathed the knife. He hated himself. He should tell his friend, but he just couldn't! Oogie would be so disappointed in him. Jack sobbed, burying his face in his hands. He wanted to die, but that also wasn't new. He had been a conflicted human when he'd lived. Oogie knew it; Oogie knew more about him then anybody else, especially of his human life. But what about the other leaders? They had no idea. None whatsoever. They would be horrified. Jack couldn't have that.

"Jack?"

Jack jumped, wiping his face rapidly, but he was caught and he knew it when he turned to see Sandy staring at him looking very concerned.

_"Sandy! Hi! What's…what are you doing?"_

Sandy still couldn't understand him, so his question went ignored. The man walked over and sat down.

"What's wrong, Jack?"

_"Nothing."_

Sandy knew from the shortness of the answer alone what Jack had said. "Don't give me that. I know you, Jack. You're not the kind of person to cry. Did that freak say something about you?"

Jack froze. _"Oogie?"_

"Um, yes, that burlap man. Oogie Boogie, is his name right?" Jack nodded. "So did he say something about you? Or to you?"

Jack shook his head violently. _"Oogie loves me, even if you can't see it. Don't say or imply anything like that again."_

Sandy sensed he'd crossed a line. "Sorry! Sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."

_"Yes, you did. Don't lie to me, Sandy."_

The man stared at him blankly then shrugged, reaching over to wipe away a stray tear. "I hope you're okay, Jack."

Jack smiled and nodded, his eyes soft and gentle. _"I will be fine, friend. Don't worry about me. I'll talk to Oogie about it…somehow."_

"…That means you'll be alright, right?" Jack snickered and nodded. Sandy looked relieved. "Good. Now, let's get back to camp. It's just about lunchtime, and Squanto's making us venison stew."

"Mm."

"I agree."

Jack got back, sliding his knife in his pocket beneath his kilt to hide it from his friend. He wasn't ready to face him yet. But honestly, would he ever be? Answer: no. They ate a hearty lunch, thanking Squanto profusely.

"Taing? Is that thanks?" Bunny asked.

"Yes," Oogie said quietly, pulling Jack close to his body. Jack leaned back happily.

That was something that the other leaders couldn't understand. Jack seemed so happy to be with Oogie, and not just because he was the only one who understood what he was saying. He would sleep on top of him each night, cushioned by the very person who had attacked them all at least once. He would make food and just chat idly with his friend or make arrows with Oogie's help. It was bizarre.

 _"How is my Creepy?"_ Oogie asked in Gaelic.

Jack fought down his shame. _"Feeling comfy, Crawly."_

_"Good."_

Oogie cuddled him, making Jack feel more ashamed of himself. Now that he'd started, Jack knew it would only proceed to get worse. What was he supposed to do?


	4. Caught

Jack groaned softly as the blade bit through his skin right beside his nipple. That area was sensitive, and it felt so good. So very good…

 _"Again,"_ Jack grunted to himself as he drew the knife down his skin again. Ooh, it felt so good! _"Yes!"_

Jack was so into his own pain that he didn't sense the eyes on him. Sandy hurried away back to camp once he felt he'd seen enough. He hesitated, gesturing the other leaders away from Oogie.

"Squanto?"

"Yes, Santa?"

"Did you give Jack that knife like you said you were going to?"

"Yes. He was reluctant to take it."

"Yes. I think I know why."

"Really? Why?"

Sandy hesitated them told them of how Jack was hurting himself. They stared at him when he fell silent.

"You're joking," Eros finally said.

"No. He had his back to me, but there was fresh blood on the blade, and there was no animal in sight."

"What do we do?"

"I don't know…"

"Maybe we should tell Oogie," Squanto said slowly.

"You would get in trouble for giving him the knife," Bunny pointed out.

"I would rather get in trouble than Jack bleed to death."

"Then we tell Oogie. Agreed?" Sandy asked.

"Agreed," they echoed.

Squanto took the lead, going to stand in front of the seated bogeyman, who stared at him in an uninterested way.

"What do you want?"

"I made a mistake," Squanto said firmly.

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

"What mistake is that?"

"I…I gave Jack a…a knife," the Indian said, his voice weakening slightly as he admitted it.

Suddenly Oogie looked much less bored. He surged to his feet.

"After I specifically warned you not to give him one, you dare to put a knife in his hands?!" he roared.

"I thought you were just being an ass!" Squanto argued. "I didn't know he hurts himself when he has one!"

"Caoch!" Oogie swore violently. "One of you saw him doing this?"

"I did," Sandy said. "He's over in the woods."

"No, he's not," Sam said, pointing. "He's coming back right now."

Oogie snagged Squanto by the shirt. "We are not done discussing this."

Squanto said nothing, and Oogie released him. Jack smiled at them.

_"Hey. What's going on? Are they finally trying to get along with you, Crawly?"_

Oogie's eyeholes narrowed. "Take off your shirt, Jack."

Jack paled and shook his head. _"I told you, Oogie, I don't do that stuff anymore."_

"Oh really? The Injun said he gave you a knife, Jack. Why didn't you tell me he gave you a knife?"

_"I…I lost it."_

Oogie frowned. "Take off your shirt Jack."

_"No!"_

Oogie had inched forward until he was right in front of his friend. Jack tried to bolt, but the bogeyman grabbed him and easily stripped his shirt off. The Holiday leaders froze when they saw what was beneath it. Cuts. Cuts everywhere. Some of them were fresh and red. Squanto suddenly felt sick. He should have listened to Oogie. Said person looked pissed.

"How dare you?!" Oogie growled. "You promised me, Jack! You promised you wouldn't cut anymore! And then you blatantly _lie to my face_!"

Jack struggled in his friend's grip, but Oogie was so much stronger than him in this form. He began crying as his movements became slower because he was tiring. He went limp, sobbing in pain. Oogie turned back to the leaders.

"You see what you've done?" he demanded. "This, _this_ is why you never let Jack own a knife when he's human! You all are absolutely—Hey! Get back here, Jack!"

Jack had used the opportunity of Oogie being distracted to slip his grip, and now he'd snatched up his bow and arrows and was sprinting away. He ran to his knife and grabbed it then hid in a tree until the others had given up looking for him. After slipping down as the sky began to turn colors, he rapidly caught a rabbit and made a fire. He miserably skinned and gutted the thing and cooked it then ate. Curling up by the fire, he cried himself to sleep.

He awoke to soft touches and found himself cuddled against a plush, warm surface. Jack shivered and began to cry as Oogie gently stroked him. They lay in silence for a while, staring into the coals of the fire. Oogie finally shifted.

"You should have told me the thoughts were bothering you again, Jack. You should have told me that the urges had come back. You should have told me the moment you started cutting. I have a question for you." There was a short pause. "Why didn't you?

Jack didn't answer for five minutes, unable to speak past his tears. Oogie tightened his grip, holding him close as Jack's misery overwhelmed him. The wretched creature finally turned and buried his face in his friend's burlap.

_"I didn't want you to know how weak I am. You're so strong…I'm pathetic."_

"Everybody has their weaknesses, Jack. I have my temper and antisocial behavior. You have a cutting problem. There is no shame in admitting you need help. Okay?"

Jack nodded, nuzzling the rough material his friend was made of. _"I love you, Crawly. You're my best friend. I hated lying to you. I was so ashamed, so very, very ashamed. But I felt like I couldn't face you. I knew you'd be angry at me. And…And disappointed. I couldn't stand the thought of that. So I lied and kept information from you. I'm sorry, Oogie."_

"Jack, I would have been disappointed only when you started cutting, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have come to me. I love you. I want to help you. I can't do that in the dark. What you did was wrong. I'm disappointed in you. But," Oogie said as Jack flinched. "I love you. Now, where is it?"

Jack whimpered, reluctant to give it to his friend, and ashamed of that reluctance. He slowly slipped the knife from his pocket, toying with the sheath.

_"You know I don't want to give it to you, right?"_

"Yes."

Jack swallowed then slowly held it out. Oogie split his seem open and the bugs pulled it inside. The leader of Halloween Town wanted it back immediately, and he began to cry again, knowing that Oogie wouldn't give it back to him. Not unless he was supervised in his use of it. Oogie stroked him.

"It's okay, Jack. You know I won't deny you. But I have to watch. I have to make sure you don't go overboard. Okay? You know that, right?"

_"Y-yes. B-but I don't want to be supervised!"_

"I don't want to lose you. You know what happened when I ignored it. You nearly died from blood loss. I'm not going through that scare again. Now, relax. Go back to sleep. We'll deal with the others tomorrow morning. Okay?"

Jack nodded, cuddling close. He was tired, but not cold. Not with his Oogie there. It was nice and…and…warm…Mm.


	5. Something's Not Right

"Give me that knife, Jack," Squanto demanded, holding out his hand. Jack glared at him.

_"Oogie already took it, stupid."_

"Don't you argue with me! Give me that knife!"

"He ain't arguing with you, Injun," Oogie said blandly. "He said that I took it already. And you ain't getting it from me."

"Oh. Good. At least he's safe. Now."

Jack frowned and scratched his chest. Oogie placed a point on his shoulder.

"Easy, Jack."

_"Whatever."_

Jack shrugged his friend off, walking over to plop down beneath a tree. Sandy looked unsure.

"Hey, Jack, how about we go for a swim?" Eros asked.

_"I have no swimwear. And from the looks of it, you don't either."_

"What?"

"Bathing suits," Oogie said quietly.

"I see no need for bathing suits. We are all male here. There is nothing we have that we haven't seen before," Sandy said.

Jack hesitated before nodding. A swim sounded nice. They hurried down to the lake and stripped off before diving in. Jack stayed under for over a minute, seeing how deep he could go. He surfaced with a gasp and the others looked at him.

"You can hold your breath for a while," Squanto said with a nod.

Jack nodded. _"Yes."_

"Come here to the shallows Jack."

Jack obeyed, a little bit confused. Squanto had him sit cross-legged. Then he began to trace the cuts. Jack shot backwards right into Oogie, who was a short way away from the water, watching them.

"Easy, Jack," he said for the second time.

_"He…he touched it!"_

"Even your legs?" Sandy asked, sounding horrified.

_"Yeah! So what?"_

"How could you?"

Something slid into his hand and he saw the knife, unsheathed. He looked up at Oogie gratefully then held the blade up.

_"Like this."_

Rather self-consciously, he drew the blade over his wrist, prompting blood to bubble up. They all cried out in horror.

"Where did you get that?" Bunny demanded, hopping out and standing on his hind legs.

"I just gave it to him," Oogie said.

"How could you?!" Sam demanded. "After that big fuss you made over him cutting, now you're willingly giving him a knife?"

"Well, if I don't let him use a knife every once in a while, he uses rocks, and those make a person sick."

"He needs to just stop!" Sam spat.

"That isn't going to happen. The last time Jack was human, we got him down to a few cuts every three days. That's what we're aiming for. Right now he's going to need to cut every day, every few hours."

"That's not—"

Oogie interrupted. "I know you all enjoy a good pipe every once in a while. Ever try to stop smoking?"

"Once or twice," Sandy said, and the others nodded, though they all clearly meant more than once or twice.

"Just like it's hard to stop smoking, it's hard to stop cutting. Jack's addicted to the pain. To him, pain is pleasure in this form. So don't judge him for his cutting. Just like you stop smoking a little at a time, Jack stops cutting a little at a time. But he can't just cut all he wants. He must be supervised. And he understands that. He'll have good days where he'll need only one or two slices, or maybe none at all, and then he'll have bad days when he'll steal a knife and cut himself up like one of those turkeys you eat on Thanksgiving. Yelling at him won't change anything. He needs patience and understanding more than anything. And if you can't give him that, then you are not to mention his cutting at all. You leave all of that to me, understand?"

They all stared at him, considering his words. Sandy stood and walked over to kneel by Jack, who hid the blade behind his back. Oogie watched him carefully.

"If there is one thing I can understand, it's having a hard time with an addiction. Smoking is a big problem in my wife's book, and she wants me to stop, but I can't help it. I will help you, Jack. Just promise me that you'll try."

Jack nodded. _"But it doesn't mean I'll succeed."_

Once Oogie had translated, Sandy nodded.

"I did not ask you to succeed, though that is our goal. I asked you to try."

Jack smiled and nodded, toying with the knife. With a twirl, he slit his chest before raising the blade to his throat.

"You do that and you're giving me the knife back," Oogie said plainly.

_"I'm making a point."_

"As long as that point doesn't get near your carotid artery, I don't care."

"Carotid…What's that?" Eros asked.

"Major artery in the throat. Cut that and you bleed out fast. There's also the femoral arteries in the thighs that he's not allowed to cut near. Notice how his inner thighs are clear of cuts. He knows better than to cut in those spots."

"You seem really knowledgeable about where he's not to cut," Sam said slowly, watching as Jack lightly slit his other wrist.

"I learned all I could after he almost died on me. I am in charge of where he cuts, and, usually, when he cuts. He knows that, which is why he didn't tell me he was cutting again."

 _"Sorry, Oogie,"_ Jack muttered, drawing the blade across his outer thigh.

"Two more, Jack."

Jack made a face, but didn't comment. The last two cuts were long ones then, with no argument whatsoever, he crawled over to the water and cleaned then blade. Standing up, he held the knife handle first out to Oogie, though they could see the reluctance in his eyes. Oogie smiled in approval, something the others hadn't really ever seen, and he took the knife into his burlap. Jack watched it go longingly.

"C'mon, Creepy, don't even think about it. Go have a swim. Wash off the blood."

Jack snorted as he drew his hand through his chest wounds. With the others watching, he licked a path from the base of his palm to the tips of his fingers. They paled.

"That…is disgusting," Bunny said, looking ill.

 _"Says the pathetic little bastard who eats grass,"_ Jack said then licked his hand again.

"…What did he say?"

Oogie smirked and shrugged innocently. "I didn't catch it." They glared at him as Jack slipped past them to dive into the water, washing off the red substance and cooling himself off. He wanted the knife. Badly. No, Jack, he thought to himself, think of something else. Anything else. Don't focus on the bad, focus on the good. Sally! Think about Sally! No, wait, bad idea. He was naked in a pool with others around. Not smart.

That thought about Sally made him pause. He hadn't once thought about Halloween Town, which was odd. He was their leader, wasn't he? So why wasn't he thinking about his citizens? He turned to face the others, studying them. They hadn't mentioned their Holidays once. Not even in passing. That made Jack alarmed. He stood and rushed out of the water, snatching up his clothing, only stopping to slide his pants on.

"Jack! Jack where are you going?" Sandy asked.

Jack ran like the wind, the air feeling chilled against his wet skin. He found the fire pit that he had dug on his first day there then followed memory back to the cave. There was only one problem. There was no cave. Jack swore. Something was keeping them from thinking about their Holidays, their responsibilities, their loved ones, including their wives. There was magic afoot.

Jack took a long walk, pondering what was going on. There was obviously a magical superpower manipulating them. Did the other leaders even remember their Holidays? Jack was worried. If it had been two weeks ago, he would have thought it was Oogie…Say, that was odd, too! Suddenly it made sense. He and Oogie had been at odds, admittedly on and off, for almost two thousand years. They fall down a hole and now they're all friendly again, with no strife, no problems. It was great, but it was also horrible now that Jack realized it. Their entire relationship was a lie! Jack began to cry.

"Jack? What's wrong?"

Jack looked up to see Oogie, which prompted him to cry harder, sitting down as emotion overwhelmed him. Oogie was there in a moment, curling his arms around him.

"Creepy? What's wrong?"

Jack looked up miserably. _"I don't want to tell you."_

Oogie's features softened. "You cut again. Where?"

Jack shook his head. _"No. I didn't. This is worse. Much worse."_

The bogeyman frowned. "What is it, Creepy?"

Jack stood and walked away from him and, in a shaky voice, began to brokenly tell Oogie the truth.


	6. We Hate Each Other, Don't We?

"There's got to be a way out of here!" Squanto barked, kicking a small stone.

Jack sat back miserably, alone. Oogie was off near the woods, also alone. The rest of the Holiday leaders were trying desperately to find a way out of the area that they were in. The forest wasn't good. They could only go so far in before it seemed to loop them around and sent them back the way they came. The caves that they'd come in through were gone, and even if they weren't, who knows how far they would have to climb, up a sheer surface mind you, to get out.

"There's none that I can see," Eros grumbled.

"What do we do?" Sandy asked softly.

"I don't know! Maybe we could follow the river and—" Bunny said thoughtfully.

"No, not about getting out. About them. They haven't spoken since we found out. They barely move, and Jack hasn't eaten. It's been four days," the Christmas leader said, staring at his friend in concern.

"Oh…I don't know," Sam said with a shake of his head. "I don't know how to help that sort of problem."

"Maybe somebody should go talk to Oogie Boogie?" Bunny asked, tilting his head.

"Hey, I might be the love person, but I _don't_ love _him!_ Not happening."

"I negotiated with the white man, but that creature is not reasonable. I refuse."

"Not gonna do it, laddy. I ain't got the luck ta do it."

"Well, don't look at me! I meant one of _you_! I'm just a rabbit!"

"I'd rather blow myself up with a firecracker."

Everybody looked to Sandy, who swallowed. "I'll do it for Jack. Only for Jack, you hear?"

They nodded, and Sandy hesitantly made his way over to the bogeyman. He stood behind him for a full minute before reaching out.

"What the hell do you want, Sandy?"

Sandy's hand froze in midair. "I…I wanted to…to ch-check on you. You've been awfully quiet, and you haven't really moved back over there."

"…I don't like fire."

"Ridiculous. The fire's not even lit right now."

Oogie looked back over his shoulder then grunted. "So what?"

"So? Oogie, Jack needs you. He does. Look at him. He won't even eat. There's more that you're not telling us."

Oogie snorted. "Fine, I'll get Jack to eat."

He pushed off the tree and walked over to Jack. Jack didn't even look at him.

"You need to eat something."

No answer.

"Eat, Jack." Another pause. "Did you tell him to eat?"

"Oogie, that won't work. He's not listening to anybody."

"Hmph."

"Are you two fighting?" Sam asked gently.

"No. And that's the damn problem."

They blinked, not understanding.

"How is that a problem?" Eros asked.

"Are you _kidding me?!_ " Oogie demanded. "How do you not understand? When we're not here, we're constantly at each other's throats! I've tried to hurt him! To make him hurt like I do, so that maybe he'll understand! And he ignores me! Ignores me like I don't even exist most of the time! We hate each other, and—"

"Wrong."

Oogie stopped talking, and he and Jack looked at Eros.

"What?"

"You are wrong."

"About what?" Oogie growled.

"Hating each other."

 _"But we do…don't we?"_ Jack asked, looking at Oogie, who stared back at him blankly. They both refocused on Eros as the love being began talking again.

"You think I might just know love. I've been around for a while, though, and I know hate, too. I know when hate is real, and when it isn't. Your hate for each other isn't real. My educated guess is that you're both deeply wounded by perceived wrongs. You stopped communicating and hurt each other. Love of all kinds requires communication to stay full and alive. Your brotherly love is the strongest I have seen in many, many moons. This place brings out the best in that love.

"Notice also that Santa does not hate Oogie here, either, and he was almost killed twice by him. Now, we do not understand you, Oogie, so we've been avoiding you, but we don't hate you. Santa's hate for you _was_ real. Trust me on that. But it's muted now, growing fainter by the day. Just talking to you has diminished it even more. Once we leave this place, we need to work on our friendships. We have never been more open, more friendly, more understanding of each other. This must continue. We need to be open to talking about uncomfortable things. Like…Halloween…"

Jack snickered at Oogie's blank look. _"They don't like Behemoth. Or the Vampire Brothers. Or Ethan. Or Bertha and Ned. Or the demons. Or—"_

"So they don't like anybody in Halloween Town?" Oogie asked dryly.

"It's not that we don't like them," Squanto said slowly.

"They just scare the hell out of us," Bunny admitted quickly.

"That's the whole point of Halloween Town, Bunny," Oogie said in amusement. "Scary is fun in our minds. You should give it a chance."

"Well…" Sam muttered.

"Come now. Jack's given all of your Holidays a chance. He helps you every single year, anytime you need an extra hand or two. Maybe he'll even let you use his whole body." There was a burst of laughter from the others. "Back on point, he's never _not_ helped you unless he had a damn good reason. When you're behind schedule, and your Holiday is a week away, who do you call?"

"Jack, o' course," Patrick said with a smile. "The lad's got such a good way of plantin' four-leafed clovers."

"Yeah, he paints the prettiest eggs," Bunny sighed. "And he's great at making chocolate."

"Yep, the boy's great at cooking. He's got a good nose…or whatever he uses to smell," Squanto said fondly. "My wife loves him, though she thinks he looks funny."

"He's great at wrapping presents and stuffing stockings, and his woodcarving skills are impeccable. He can carve anything I need in record time," Sandy said with a nod.

"Jack is one of the most emotional individuals I have ever known," Eros said thoughtfully. "He is passionate about so much, and that translates wonderfully into the arrows he makes. Some of the most passionate love made is after I shoot a husband or wife with one of his arrows."

Sam nodded. "He's great with gunpowder, and even if there's an accident, everything blown off just reattaches."

There was another round of laughter, and they turned to Jack to find a rather red faced creature.

_"I-it's nothing, really. I promise. I just wanted to help."_

Oogie translated and the other Holiday leaders shook their heads.

"It's not nothing, Jack," Sandy said kindly. "It's incredible that you can help us every time we need it and still have time for your own Holiday. Oogie's right. We need to help you with your Holiday, too."

_"That would be nice, I guess. If you can do scary."_

"Scary? Like spider bite scary?" Eros asked helpfully.

 _"Um…no. Like ax murderer jumping out of the dark closet scary."_ They stared at him, paling.

"What he forgot to mention is that the ax murderer is actually your best friend dressed up and drenched in fake blood," Oogie snickered. "Jack doesn't do death."

Jack twitched at the word _blood_ and began scratching his chest. He hadn't cut in four days and it was suddenly a very pressing need. He swallowed.

_"Oogie?"_

Oogie looked down at him and split his seems, the bugs pushing the knife out. Jack took it, stripping his shirt off rapidly. The Holiday leaders quickly backed up and saw a short way away from the Halloween denizens.

"Jack!" Oogie snapped as the boy began to bring the knife down. Jack looked up, looking irritated and desperate. "Slowly. You go fast, you cut deeper than you mean to. You've done it before."

Jack nodded, focusing on making a slow, shallow cut along the crook of his elbow. He moaned in delight at the spasm of pain. The Holiday leaders stared as he cut along his collarbone.

"Oogie?" Sandy asked, sounding strange.

"Yes?" Oogie didn't look at him, watching Jack closely.

"How did he get into that sort of thing?"

 _"Do you mind if I tell them about your past?"_ Oogie asked in Gaelic.

Jack paused to look at him, the blade not even a centimeter above his skin. _"Do you think it to be wise?"_

Oogie shrugged. _"If Eros is right about this place, you'll have no better time to tell them. They're more likely to understand here while you're a human than back in Halloween Town when you're a bone man."_

 _"Fine. Tell them,"_ Jack muttered, slicing into his wrist.

"Well?" Sandy asked, staring curiously. "What did he say?"

"He said I can tell you," Oogie replied. "But if he stops me from saying something, there's nothing I can do about that."

"Fine. Now, how did Jack get into cutting?"

The bogeyman sat back and seemingly ignored the question. "Jack was born in Scotland over two thousand years ago, hence why he speaks pure Gaelic, and not even modern Gaelic, though in his other form he has kept up with the times. Rumors in the village said that his mother was raped by a demon, and not a friendly one like the ones in Halloween Town. Some of the rumors said that the demon impregnated her himself, while others say it possessed a man and he raped her until she conceived. All we know is that it was a short pregnancy by human standards.

"Six months and six days later, and in the sixth hour, Jack was born. His mother did not survive the birth. It was violent and bloody. The midwives reported that he came clawing his way out. He didn't come screaming into the world. He came howling like a demon, scaring the midwives out of the tent. Nobody would go in there until midday. His mother had breastfed him once then died. The name Jack was spelled out in her blood. That is what they called him."

Oogie shifted and watched as Jack slit above his collarbone. He knew that Jack was pretending to ignore the words. But there was very little that ever escaped Jack's notice. The knife raised higher, and the bogeyman growled low in his throat.

"I'll take it away, Jack."

Jack looked up and snarled, eyes gleaming in anger. The Holiday leaders scooted back a little at the hellish look in that usually friendly face. Oogie held out a point, eyeholes narrowing. Jack flinched, holding the blade to his bloody chest.

_"I'll behave."_

"You'd better."

"So…" Sandy said after a pause. "Jack was born."

Oogie settled back again, humming. "Well, Jack was different from the other children in the village. He was obsessed with fire. He could start a fire in the pouring rain, but the villagers…they didn't care. They couldn't just kill him. No, that went against their beliefs. But they could not stand Jack at all. He ate insects, He played with fire. He dabbled in witchcraft. Or they thought he did anyway. He woke up most nights at the witching hour and went to walk in the fields that surrounded the village. He'd be gone for days. Jack told me that the villagers would get hopeful, and be awfully disappointed when he returned."

"But what about the cutting?"

Oogie was silent for a minute, watching Jack again. Jack was currently licking blood off the knife. When the others started grumbling impatiently, he continued.

"Jack liked pain since the moment he was born. He didn't think to inflict it on himself until he was seven. That's when he first took a knife to his wrist. In his own words, 'It was at that moment that I knew I could never give up the incredible sensation that that knife gave me.' He was hooked.

"Now the villagers tried to beat the strangeness out of Jack. They really did. He didn't need to cut himself half the time because he was bruised and bloodied from bullies or from an adult beating him. But life moved on, and Jack grew. He was taller and stronger than everybody in his village by the time he was thirteen. And still he got stranger. He would leave the village for days, then weeks, at a time. But he always came back.

"By the time Jack was eighteen, he was ready to leave forever, but he didn't know where to go. So one day, he packed up his meager belongings and set out to the west. His wandering life had given him the skills to go out and live on his own. He could hunt and fish for food, he could build fires from seemingly nothing, and he had plenty of smarts to make it through the predator filled nights. He lived for about a year like that before it happened."

"It?" Patrick asked nervously.

"On the night of Samhain, the night of his nineteenth birthday, something attacked him. He fought like a madman. Jack told me that he knows he broke a few bones, but the creature was bigger than him, and stronger." Oogie paused, shaking his head. "I've asked Jack several times what it felt like, but he can't really describe it."

"What's it?" Sam asked.

"Death."

"…What did he say?" Sandy asked, stating the question they all wanted the answer to.

Jack spoke up from where he was playing with the knife. _"It's like the biggest exhale of your life, and all your fear and worry disappears as a wave of peace and darkness surrounds you. People say there's a light, but I was surrounded by comfortable blackness until I woke up."_

"You…woke up?" Sandy asked in confusion. "But you were dead!"

_"All of the citizens of Halloween Town are either demons, or they're dead. They woke up, too."_

"I…I guess that's true," Squanto said with a nod.

There was silence for a few minutes. They noticed that Jack seemed to be done maiming himself for the moment. Blood stained his chest from at least fifteen cuts, while his arms sported at least five each. Oogie picked up the water pitcher and handed it to Jack.

"Wash it, please."

Jack frowned, but did so, handing the knife back without complaint. He had been allowed more cuts than usual because of the long period of no cutting. Oogie patted his head.

"Now go wash off."

Jack obeyed, and the Holiday leaders sat there in silence, contemplating what Oogie had told them. The boy came back—he was a boy by all of their standards, at only nineteen years of age—and settled down in Oogie's lap, leaning back tiredly.

"You haven't been sleeping well," Oogie surmised.

_"Yeah. I'm exhausted."_

"Relax," Oogie said softly. "I'll keep you warm."

"Mm…" Jack murmured as he fell asleep. Still they were silent until Sandy shifted.

"So Jack is dead right now?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you so concerned about him dying again from blood loss?"

Oogie frowned. "Because I don't know if he'll wake up again or if he'll really be dead."

"Oh." Sandy yawned. "Well, I'm going to take a nap. We'll figure a way out of here later. We've got to get back. Jack's right. Something's wrong."

The others nodded. For the first time, Oogie felt relaxed enough with these Holiday leaders that he fell asleep before they did. Oh yes, life was nice here. Why would they ever want to leave? Oogie swallowed guiltily. _She_ certainly didn't want them to leave. He should tell his friend about her. But to admit to Jack what he'd done? Jack would hate him forever. And Oogie couldn't take it. He hoped desperately that there was no way out.


	7. Hecate

They walked through the grave quietly. Jack and Oogie didn't even enjoy the creatures lunging out to snarl at them. Oh, they weren't afraid of them, not by any means, but they were both focused. Jack was focused on finding out what creature was powerful enough to steal the thoughts of some of the most powerful beings in the world. Oogie was focused on not fainting away with fear. He knew what was coming, and he didn't want Jack to yell at him, or be hurt by him. It didn't matter that he'd rejected her plan. It didn't matter that he'd been drunk off his ass when he'd told her all that stuff about Jack. It didn't matter that she was angry at him…Strike that. That one mattered. Because she was going to humiliate him. And there was nothing he could do about it.

There was a flash of movement down a side tunnel, and a very feminine laugh echoed around them. Jack lunged after her, the others following.

"J-Jack we need to get back to Halloween Town!" Oogie shouted, not moving.

There was movement behind him, and fear rooted him to the spot. A finger trailed along his back to his front and suddenly he was staring at a beautiful woman. She had black hair to her waist, creepy purple and black eyes, and skin so pale it rivaled Jack's. She was thin with full breasts and seductive hips, but Oogie wasn't attracted to her. She didn't take too kindly to lovers, and he wasn't much of a lover anyways. He didn't have the right anatomy.

"Hello again, Oogie Boogie," she purred.

"Hecate…Hi," Oogie said, swallowing nervously.

"Aw…do I scare the bogeyman?" the woman asked, amusement gleaming in her purple eyes.

"Go away. Leave us alone. Please," Oogie begged softly. "Jack doesn't deserve your wrath. He doesn't deserve pain or sorrow. Please, leave us. Go back to your world. I'm sorry I even made those plans with you."

"Oh, Oogie," she crooned softly. "But he's a terrible friend to you. And you to him. Why else would you have told me all that stuff about his past. Like how he's wrestled with demons, literal and figurative. Like how he tied up dogs and cats and horses just to cut them open and watch them bleed out. Or how he was addicted to pleasure in other ways besides cutting. The hand is a powerful tool, you know, especially when it comes to self-pleasure."

Oogie swallowed, backing up against the wall as she grew tall enough to stand face to face with him. "I mean, you said it yourself," she said. "Halloween Town would be better off without him. I threw in the other Holiday leaders for your own pleasure. And everything went according to plan. You trick Jack back into liking you, trick the other Holiday leaders into relaxing around you, and then you kill them off one by one, leaving Jack for last so he can _suffer."_

_"What?"_

Oogie turned to see Jack and the others staring at him. "J-Jack, she's lying!"

"Am I?"

There was a ripple in the air and Oogie's voice came out. "I'm sick and tired of Jack! It's always about him! What about the kids? What about me? All our Halloween pranks get shot down immediately! We're just trying to have a little fun, that's all. His presence is irritating at the least and agonizing at the most! I want him gone! G-O-N-E! Gone! And I don't care if I hurt him to do it!"

Jack looked wounded. _"It was all a lie then. You really don't care about me…"_

"No, Jack! It's not…I wasn't…I mean, I was…Jack, I…I'm sor—"

_"Shut up! You should have just killed me when you had the chance. Then you wouldn't have to suffer through my presence. I'm going home."_

"Jack! Where are you going?" Sandy asked, taking a step toward him.

_"Leave me alone!"_

The tone left no room for guessing. He didn't want them at the moment. Oogie watched helplessly as Jack stormed away toward Halloween Town. The Christmas leader watched him then glanced at Oogie before following. One by one the others did, too. Soon it was just the bogeyman and Hecate. She looked at him.

"If you had followed the plan we concocted, you would be the rightful ruler of Halloween Town, and you could have taken over the other Holidays with no problems. They would have lived in their little world forever, content with themselves. But no. You had to play hero and fall into that world with Jack. Your friendship doesn't exist, Oogie. He doesn't love you. You should just give up. Now, I'm going home. You best do that, too. Go back to your pathetic life and know that you had the chance to have everything. A chance you didn't take."

She disappeared in a huge flash of black fire. Oogie sank to the ground, his feelings screaming loudly at him. He wanted to cry. But he never cried unless Jack was there to comfort him. He sat there for a long time before standing and slowly making his way home. The kids were ecstatic.

"Boss, you're home!" Lock exclaimed.

"We thought we'd have to sew you back together!" Shock laughed.

Barrel walked forward, hesitant as per usual. "So is Jack…gone?"

"He might as well be," Oogie said blankly.

"What?" Lock asked, glancing at Shock, who shrugged.

"Boss?" Barrel asked gently. "Are you okay?"

"No."

"You want a drink?"

"No."

"You wanna play us at a game?"

"No."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"I think you should talk about it."

"What would you understand? It's at least fifteen hundred years older than you."

"Talking about stuff helps. Like when I talk to you about the gators."

Oogie didn't move for a whole minute. "It's about Jack," he finally said, his voice faint.

"Here, come sit down," Barrel said, gesturing for his friends to pull up their boss's favorite chair.

They knew to listen. Barrel was in charge at the moment, and neither of them were inclined to argue. He was great in these situations, better than them at least, and he could get anything out of the boss given the right timing.

Oogie sat, playing with his favorite dice, which he hadn't even realized he'd picked up. Barrel hopped up on the arm of the chair, while the other two pulled their stools over. They sat in silence for a good three minutes before Barrel lightly touched him.

"Okay, Boss?" There was a shrug. "C'mon, Boss. Talk to us. We're here for you."

Oogie tossed the dice up in the air without looking, catching them with ease.

"It's a long story," he said after another stretch of silence.

"We've got all the time in the world, Boss."

Oogie hummed. "You know Jack's dead, right? As a human, he's dead, even if he has a heartbeat. He died to get to this world. You get that right?"

"Yes," the three children chorused.

"Good. Well, once he died, he woke up here. He was human still, wasn't a bone man like you know him. He spent a month on his own. A month without contact with any living thing, except for animals, which he would kill and eat to survive. Once a month had passed by, he decided he needed a friend. So…he made me."

"Alright. He made you," Barrel said slowly when Oogie paused. "How did he make you?"

"With burlap and bugs. Just like I am now. Sure, my design was a little rougher, as he only had a knife to cut the burlap, but it was basically the same."

"But where did he get the burlap? How did he get the bugs inside of you?"

"He told me that he stumbled across the burlap. He said it was just sitting there in a neat pile, like it belonged there. As for the bugs, they just listened to him. They still do, if he orders them around. He's my maker. He is in charge of me as much as I hate to admit it."

"Alright, so he made you. What happened then?"

"I was like a child," Oogie said softly. "He had to teach me everything. He taught me about fire and water, and how I shouldn't go near them. He taught me Gaelic. He taught me about hunting and fishing and blood and cutting. In a rather scary episode, he taught me about death."

"Scary?"

"Jack cut through his femoral artery and nearly bled out. I had to cauterize the wound."

"But cauterization involves something hot enough to catch you on fire," Shock gasped.

"I was willing to take the risk. I had already been drowned once at that point. I knew I could come back. I didn't know if Jack could. I still don't, and I don't want to find out. If he died for real…" Oogie swallowed. "Sorry, I…I need a moment."

"Take all the time you need, Boss," Barrel said kindly.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes as Oogie fought back tears. When he got himself back under control, he continued, though his voice shook slightly.

"Anyway, he taught me about life. The only basic thing he didn't teach me in the first two years is English. He didn't know it. All he spoke was Scottish Gaelic. That's still all he can speak in human form."

"Like the Gaelic we speak?" Lock asked.

"Sort of. His is about fifteen hundred years older than yours. It's got the same base, and I'm sure you kids could understand some of what he says, but most of it is probably over your heads. He and I have kept up and can speak Gaelic from every time period since he was born. It's rather interesting to see the language progress."

The kids nodded and they went quiet for about a minute. Oogie shifted and sighed.

"He and I were good friends. Then the doctor came along."

"Dr. Finkelstein?" Shock asked in surprise.

"Yes. He tried to teach Jack English, but it didn't stick. So Jack taught the doctor Gaelic." Oogie paused, shifting again, though this time it was from clear discomfort. "Things happened once the doctor came. Things I won't tell you about. There were arguments that were felt clear in the human towns on the other side of the veil of magic. Jack eventually left. I followed. Something…disturbing happened, which I also won't tell you about, and when we returned Jack was a bone man, unable to remember how he changed."

"How did he change?" Lock asked. Oogie growled. "Right…disturbing thing that you won't talk about. Gotcha."

"But you remember, don't you?" Barrel asked, realization dawning on him. "You remember and you and Jack fought about it. A lot. Right?" Oogie didn't answer, so the boy pushed on. "That's why he's so mad at you! You won't tell how to switch from a human to a bone man."

"That's the main reason, yes. Just when he forgives me, some magic changes him into a human again, and the whole damn thing starts all over."

"Boss? Why is it so disturbing?" Shock asked hesitantly.

Oogie frowned and shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Did it involve you?" Barrel asked.

Oogie surged to his feet, grabbing the boy by the back of his costume. "I said, I'm not going to talk about it!"

"So…yes."

Oogie dropped Barrel unceremoniously to the ground. "Yes, alright?! He knows that but has no idea what I did! It wasn't like I could control them! They went crazy! I can control them better now, but just being around a human Jack sends them into a tizzy! Especially when he cuts himself! Damn him for cutting himself! But I know he can't help it! I-I just…"

The bogeyman groaned and sank back down in the chair. The kids stared at him. Not even Barrel had seen him this distressed before, and he and Oogie had a bond that was different from the other two, closer, more…emotional.

Without any hesitation, Barrel leaped up into his lap, pressing close. He gestured for his friends to do the same. Lock and Shock were hesitant, having had very little physical contact with Oogie that wasn't from a switch. They settled down. Oh! He was soft. It was very pleasant. When Oogie moved suddenly, they tried to shoot off of his lap, but they found themselves caught in his arms. After a brief moment of panic, they noticed a stern look on Barrel's face as he snuggled into their boss. O…kay. So they weren't going to die again.

Shock swallowed and hesitantly hugged Oogie. "It's okay, Boss. It's okay."

"How is it okay? Jack's mad at me again."

"Why? Did you turn him into a bone man again?" Lock asked, copying the girl.

"I…No."

"Well then why is he mad at you?" Barrel asked gently.

"I…I was drunk. She decided to stop by, and I told her things I shouldn't've. I said things I didn't really mean. I planned something I honestly didn't plan to do. When I sobered up, I told her no, but she said I couldn't go back on it. She said it was in place, and that it couldn't be reversed. She'd already started, she said, and I was going to play my part even if I didn't want to."

"Sally said all that? What the hell did you plan to do?" Lock asked blankly.

Oogie snorted. "It wasn't Sally, Lock. It wasn't anybody who lives in Halloween Town."

"Somebody from one of the other Holidays then," Shock said.

"No."

"Hecate."

Oogie stiffened and Lock and Shock turned to look at their younger companion.

"What?" the children asked.

"How do you know about her, Barrel?" Oogie asked hoarsely.

"You got drunk one night and started talking about the things that scared you. You mentioned her. I asked, and you explained about some…things that she'd done. She's different from us. She was worshipped as a Greek goddess. She loves death and blood and gore. She drinks blood. She eats raw flesh. There are some other things you told me that that she does to grown men that I won't expound on. You told me she lives in a safe haven for those magical beings that used to be gods and goddesses. But…she met you one Samhain, and has the propensity to visit Halloween Town every once in a while."

"Y-yeah. Just to check up on me," Oogie muttered nervously, looking around; what was that noise? "She's fascinated by me. But she can't control me like Jack can. She's had a few run ins with Jack before. He loathes her, and she hates him."

"Why?" Barrel asked.

Oogie looked thoughtful. "I'm going to answer both ways. Jack is nothing like Hecate. She scares people to death. Jack scares people to laugh. There is a big difference. And she hates Jack because he can, to put it quite bluntly, kicks her ass all across the world and back. His fire control is better than hers. She can teleport, he can, too, though he rarely, rarely does. She can fly, but he can bury himself alive and travel through tunnels. And as for physical strength, I honestly think he has her beat. He's just all around better. Growing up in Scotland taught him how to fight like a madman. And since she's immortal, like he is, he has no qualms about butchering her to pieces. I've seen it. It is one hell of a fight."

"So…you're scared of this Hecate?" Lock asked slowly.

"Yes. I am. And you should be, too. She's deadly and knows torture like you wouldn't believe. Jack is the only one in Halloween Town that can match her. And Hecate is—"

There was a shriek of metal on metal and all of them jumped as something crashed to the ground in the shadows. Oogie threw the children behind his chair, where they cowered. If their boss was this freaked out, they were in trouble. Oogie swallowed and approached the form on the ground. He blinked when he saw what, or rather _who_ , it was.

"Sally?"

"Please tell me you have some spare thread."


	8. He Needs You

Sally sat there, quietly sewing herself up. She finished sewing her leg back together then knotted the thread and snipped it with the scissors. That done, she handed the spool to Oogie.

"Thank you."

"How long were you listening?"

"The whole time."

"Eavesdropping is wrong, Sally."

"So is planning to kill the Holiday leaders," Sally shot back.

Oogie snorted. "What do you want? Why are you here?"

"Jack's upset, and you're the only one who can help."

"Jack's upset at _me._ What makes you think he'll listen to me?" the bogeyman muttered.

Sally frowned. "Do you know how much he loves you?"

"He doesn't."

"Yes, he does."

"Prove it."

Sally reached into her pocket and pulled out something that made Oogie freeze. It was a crude rock carving of a grasshopper. The kids were confused, but Oogie gently took it and studied it.

"After all these years…he kept it?"

"Yes. He did. He keeps it on his bedside table. He touches it often. He was reluctant to tell me where he got it for a long time, and when he finally did…It was the first time I've ever seen Jack cry." Oogie shifted, looking wary. Sally pressed on. "He loves you, Oogie. It's something I don't understand. He doesn't want your trust, your presence, your advice." Oogie frowned, but Sally held up a hand before he could speak. "He doesn't want it. He _needs_ it. He needs _you_."

Oogie shrugged miserably. "He'll get over it. He always does."

"No, he won't. He never has. He's repressed it maybe, but he's never gotten over losing you. Any of the times he's lost you."

The bogeyman frowned. "Then why hasn't he sought me out? I'm always the one who tries to patch things up, and it always blows up in my face!"

"I can't answer what I don't know. Talk to him, Oogie. Please. Talk to him."

"Why? To bring citywide panic? They can't stand me in town."

"Everybody's asleep."

"Which means it's past your bedtime," Oogie growled at the kids.

"Hey, we had a reason to be up!" Shock said importantly.

"Well…get to bed. I guess I'm going to Jack's house."

"Thank you, Oogie," Sally said gratefully.

"I have a question," the bogeyman said as they ascended from his rooms.

"What?"

"You can understand Gaelic?"

"Um, a little. I can't understand all of it. Once Jack and I started courting, the doctor began giving me some lessons. 'Just in case,' he said. I didn't understand what 'just in case' meant until four hours ago when Jack walked into our house as a human."

"Yeah. He can't speak English in human form."

"I noticed."

They fell silent and made the trek to Jack's house without anymore talking. To Oogie's great relief, they met nobody along the way. Oogie walked up the steep stairs unsteadily. Sally had stayed on the main floor, so they could have some privacy. Jack was lying in bed, curled in a ball. He looked so young, so unsure. Oogie swallowed and moved over to sit on the bed. He played with his pointed for a good five minutes before he had enough courage to speak.

"Jack? I know you probably are gonna hate me for the rest of our lives, but please hear me out. When I told Hecate all that stuff about you, when I planned to kill you and the other Holiday leaders, I was…very, very, _very_ drunk. Please believe me. As much as I want to hurt you sometimes, I would never want to kill you. I-I love you too much. I swear I do. So…that's it. That's what I wanted to say. I-I'll just leave now. Never bother you again."

Oogie was about to stand up when a hand grabbed his arm. He stiffened, turning to look at Jack. The boy was crying as he crawled over and cuddled into Oogie's lap. Oogie let out a breath in relief, curling his arms around Jack. He lay back on the bed, holding him close. Jack sniffled.

_"Why were you talking to that bitch?"_

"She checks on me every once in a while. I fascinate her, or something like that. And, like I said, I was drunk."

_"Don't talk to her again, Oogie. She is not worth it."_

"I know."

They lay there quietly, Oogie stroking Jack lovingly. After an hour, a shy noise sounded out at the entrance to the bedroom. They looked up to see Sally.

"Is everything alright?" she asked hesitantly.

Jack nodded. _"Yes."_

"Good. Good. I made food."

Jack smiled, looking up at Oogie. _"Hungry?"_

"No, smartass," Oogie snorted. "But I'll eat to be polite."

 _"Ooh, the bogeyman being polite! That really_ is _a surprise!"_ Jack teased as he stood.

"Jack?"

_"Yes?"_

"Shut up."

Jack laughed jovially. _"Oh, how I love you, dear friend!"_

Sally glanced back, feeling a little hurt. Jack noticed and snagged her, twirling her around until she was dizzy then pulling her close.

 _"And I love you, my beautiful wife,"_ he said huskily, capturing her lips tenderly. She looked shy again, blinking up at Jack with her big eyes.

"I love you, but I don't know what you called me."

"He called you his beautiful wife," Oogie translated as they attempted the stairs.

They were too steep for the bogeyman and he gave a yell as he slipped down them. Sally and Jack ended up on top of him on the floor in the main room of the boy's house. Jack was laughing so hard he couldn't breath properly, while Sally was concerned.

"Are you okay, Oogie?"

"Peachy," Oogie muttered in embarrassment. He shoved Jack off of himself violently, but allowed Sally to stand herself.

_"Aw, c'mon Oogie. That was funny!"_

"No, Jack, it wasn't."

_"If it was just the two of us?"_

"…That's different."

"If you're bothered because I'm here, don't be. I'm not the most balanced person in the world," Sally said kindly.

"I prefer elevators to stairs," Oogie said, smiling at her.

"Me, too."

"Well, Creepy, I'd have to say I like your wife."

 _"Those closest to me seem to be made of cloth,"_ Jack said with a laugh.

"What does that tell you about your preferences?" Oogie teased.

Jack smiled, but his stomach suddenly rumbled. _"Food,"_ he said with a nod.

"I made some worms' wort soup."

Jack paused then looked at Oogie. _"Now would be the perfect time for you to tell me how to become a bone man."_

Oogie looked away. "I don't want you to hate me…"

_"I won't. I promise I won't, Oogie."_

The bogeyman glanced at Sally then sighed. "You're never going to let it go," he realized sadly. "Fine. I eat you."

Jack blinked. _"What?"_

"Well, not me. My bugs. They eat you down to your bones. That's how you become a bone man. I didn't tell you because I thought you'd be disgusted and horrified and never want to be my friend again."

_"That's ridiculous."_

"I swear my bugs eat you! That's how—"

_"No. Not that. That you would think that I would never want to be your friend again. I love you, Oogie Boogie. You're my best friend in the whole wide world. Just because your bugs think I'm tasty, that doesn't mean that I'm going to hate you. Now, let's turn me back into a bone man."_

"Jack, it's really painful."

 _"Like I care?"_ Jack asked as he stripped his shirt off to reveal his sliced up chest.

He pulled off the kilt and then slipped the trousers off. Oogie gestured for Sally to come over.

"It gets really bloody, and getting bloodstains out of cloth is a pain." Sally nodded, and Oogie took a deep breath. "Ready, Jack?"

_"Yes, Oogie. I'm ready."_

The bugs shot out of the split seems, sensing Jack's permission. They ate and ate, and Sally watched in fascination. When there was no flesh or blood left, not even on the floor, the bugs rushed back into Oogie, who sealed himself back up and stood there looking hesitant. Would Jack remember this time?

Sally hurried forward and helped Jack to stand. His bones were pretty much sparkling white, and she found herself attracted to his naked form. He looked good…

"Wow. I can actually remember what happened!" Jack said cheerfully.

"Jack! You can speak English again!" Sally exclaimed.

"Of course I can, my love!" Jack declared, pulling her close. "I am no longer human!"

"You might want to put some clothes on," Oogie said with a snicker.

"Like you care?" Jack said with a laugh. "I used to run around naked all the time! Oh, the doctor caught me so many times! 'You must put clothes on, Jack! You can't just run around naked! What happens if other people come here, hm?'"

The two cloth beings laughed hard at his spot on impersonation of Dr. Finkelstein.

"Oh, that's good, Jack! I didn't know you could do that!" Sally gasped in delight.

Jack grinned then continued his impersonation. "Of course, Sally dear. Now, go get my scalpel. I need to deworm Igor again."

They both laughed until tears were streaming down their faces. While they were recovering, Jack went upstairs and put on some pants and a shirt, but didn't bother dressing up fancy. He didn't want to, and in front of these two, he could be as casual as he wanted.

They sat down to eat in companionable silence. Jack swallowed the last of the soup in his bowl then sat back.

"Sally, I'm going to teach you Gaelic. The kind that I speak when I'm human."

"Oh?" Sally asked, stacking the bowls and carrying them to the sink. "What brought that decision on?"

"Even though I was miserable, I could tell you were getting frustrated about not understanding me. I aim to fix that."

"I'm not a very good student, Jack," she said in embarrassment.

Jack winked at Oogie then crept silently up behind her. She turned to see why he hadn't responded, giving a little scream when she saw his grinning face staring right at her not even three inches away.

"I can think of a few…rewards," Jack purred, wrapping his arms around his wife. "Or even punishments, if you'd prefer to call them that."

"J-Jack…" Sally said softly, glancing at Oogie.

"I've missed you, Sally," Jack whispered, tracing her hip.

"Jack, we have a guest…"

"Don't mind me," Oogie said dismissively. "I should go before the others wake up."

Sally shook her head. "I-it's late, Oogie. Jack can just wait on what he's thinking. You can sleep down here."

"Sally, I really don't mind walking home," Oogie said.

"No! I'll make you a cot on the floor down here."

"Or he could sleep in our bed. He's very soft. That way, I don't try anything with you."

Sally looked at him like he had a second head. "You want _him_ in _our_ _bed_."

"Want is a strong word. I would prefer it to be just the two of us."

"Well then what exactly are you saying?"

"What he's saying, ragdoll, is that if I'm not, you two are going to be doing things that will embarrass you, as I will still be in the house."

Sally paused, looking Oogie over. "Jack…"

"He wouldn't do anything without both of our express permissions, I assure you Sally," Jack promised.

"Jack mentioned once that you're a screamer," Oogie said with a grin.

 _"Oogie, I will kill you,"_ Jack said in Gaelic, but, to his surprise, it did the trick.

"Fine. You and I can take the elevator. Let's go. I'm tired."

Jack couldn't help but chuckle as he ascended the stairs. Oogie had a way with females that he just didn't have…Okay, he had it, but Oogie actually understood it, whereas Jack was left fumbling in the dark. He didn't bother getting into his nightgown, instead getting the bed ready by pulling back the sheets. Sally and Oogie were there in thirty seconds.

"That thing needs oil," Oogie said plainly.

"I'll do it tomorrow morning," Jack said as his friend situated himself on the bed. "Come along Sally."

"It won't hurt him, right?" Sally asked, hesitantly laying down on the burlap man.

"You're very light, my dear," Oogie said. "I can probably take Sandy's weight if I had to. I'm very durable."

Jack wasn't hesitant at all, leaping on Oogie like he was the bed. Oogie gasped.

"Damn you, Jack!" he laughed, curling an arm around him and pulling him to lie down.

"Damn yourself, bogeyman," Jack snickered, reaching over and holding his wife.

Sally giggled. "Dr. Finkelstein had to curb his own tongue once he made me. He was used to cursing anytime he messed up. But when I came along, he suddenly found cursing to be a bad habit. If I'm around, he still punishes Igor for it."

Jack laughed. "That should be the first Gaelic I teach you, Sally."

"Oh, really?" Oogie asked, subconsciously mirroring his hold on Jack on Sally. She jumped and he immediately removed his point. "Sorry."

"It…surprised me," Sally said.

"Sorry," he repeated.

"He's probably gonna end up holding you anyway," Jack said softly. "He's a cuddler at heart. Just don't tell anybody else."

"If all he does is hold me, I'm fine with it. Now, turn off the lights so we can sleep."

Jack reached over and pulled on the chain. The room dimmed, only the fireplace providing any light. Sally found herself quite comfortable.

"He is soft," she mused quietly. "Who would've thought?"

"Nobody. Not very many people get to touch me," Oogie said in the same soft voice. Jack's breathing was already deepening.

"Are you that scary?"

"I can be. Remember, _'I am the shadow on the moon at night, filling your dreams to the brim with fright.'"_

She giggled at the reference to their yearly song. "Does that mean I'll have bad dreams tonight?"

"Maybe," Oogie said with a snort. "Depends on if you like scary dreams."

"Depends on the kind of scary," she admitted. She paused. "You're not so bad, you know. I don't know why everybody hates you."

Oogie sighed, tightening his grips on Jack and Sally. "It's complicated."

"I'm not very smart, but I'll listen if you want."

"Well…Jack's been mad at me for a long, long time. Everybody likes Jack. Ergo, everybody is mad at me."

"Doesn't seem that complicated."

"It feels complicated," Oogie said miserably. "I love Jack. He's my best friend. We've been through so much together…and so much apart. I can't lose him again, Sally. I can't."

Sally sat up slightly to see tears gleaming in the firelight. They weren't tears of joy this time. She kissed his cheek, tasting the salt of his pain.

"It's okay, Oogie. Everything will work out. I promise it will. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, ragdoll."


	9. Friends

Jack woke up refreshed. He stretched and massaged Oogie's burlap beneath his hands to wake him up before kissing Sally soundly. She yawned and sat up.

"Mm, he's more comfortable than our bed," she sighed as she stood.

"Thanks," Oogie muttered, pulling Jack close and turning over to snuggle him some more.

Sally giggled. "You really are a cuddler, aren't you?"

"Mmhm," Oogie moaned, reluctantly stretching out as Jack pushed against his hold. "Mm, I haven't slept in bed with another person since Barrel's last nightmare about the gators."

"Gators?" Jack asked as he stood.

"That's his story to tell, Jack, not mine," Oogie said, heaving himself off the bed.

"Maybe I should just get you drunk. That loosens your snake."

"Snake?" Sally asked in confusion.

"He occasionally uses a snake for a tongue," Jack explained then looked at Oogie, who appeared to be hurt. "Oogie? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Jack."

"Come now. I can tell that you're lying. Remember what Eros said."

Oogie looked at him. "What?"

"Eros said that love needs constant communication. We clearly don't communicate right. So communicate with me, Oogie."

Oogie glanced at Sally then slumped his shoulders. "Every time we become friends again you do that thing."

"What thing?"

"You make snide comments about my mistakes in front of other people. It hurts. It's like you don't forgive me."

Jack was alarmed. "I…I didn't realize I did that. I'm terribly sorry. And of course I forgive you!"

Oogie smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks, Jack."

Jack reached over to his nightstand and yelled in shock. He began looking around in the drawers and on the floor. Oogie blinked.

"What are you looking for?"

"The little carving that you…Um, nothing," Jack said, looking embarrassed as he stopped his frantic search

Oogie blinked and his bugs pushed the carving of the grasshopper out of him. He held it out to Jack. "This?"

Jack's face lit up. "Yes! That's it!" he said, clearly relieved as he grabbed it and set it carefully back in it's spot.

"You kept it after all the fights we've had, throughout all the years?" Oogie asked tenderly.

"Y-yeah," Jack said with a shy smile. "I love you, Oogie. Even if I'm not very good at displaying it. It reminds me of when our lives were uncomplicated. When it was just me and you going out every year to scare people."

Oogie smiled. "We made some mistakes," he admitted with a shake of his head. "But we had so much fun. We've got to do that again."

Jack nodded. "It's a date then!"

Oogie snickered. "You're married now, Jack. No more dating."

"Jack dated before?" Sally asked in interest.

"No. And it has disturbed every female that's ever come here, even the married ones," Oogie laughed.

"That sounds like Jack," Sally giggled.

"What can I say, Oogie? Nobody stole my heart besides Sally!" Jack said with a head shake. "Now, let's go and get you used to people again."

"Lead on, Jack," Oogie said, and they headed for the front door.


End file.
